Why We Chose to Be a Remote-First Company
Our philosophy on remote work and how it shapes our culture, productivity, and the products we build.
Why We Chose to Be a Remote-First Company
When we founded Cocuy Labs, one of our first decisions was to build a remote-first company. Not remote-friendly, not hybrid - fully remote-first. Here’s why.
The Traditional Office Model is Broken
The 9-to-5 office model was designed for a different era. It assumes that:
- The best talent lives near your office
- Creativity happens on a schedule
- Presence equals productivity
- Collaboration requires physical proximity
We questioned all of these assumptions.
The Benefits of Remote-First
1. Access to Global Talent
By removing geographic constraints, we can hire the best people regardless of where they live. Our team spans multiple time zones, bringing diverse perspectives and round-the-clock productivity.
2. Better Work-Life Balance
Remote work allows our team to:
- Avoid lengthy commutes
- Design their ideal work environment
- Integrate work with personal responsibilities
- Focus on output, not hours logged
3. Cost Efficiency
Without expensive office space, we can:
- Invest more in our team
- Keep our products affordable
- Maintain financial flexibility
- Reduce our environmental footprint
4. Improved Focus
Open offices are productivity killers. Remote work gives people the space to:
- Enter deep work states
- Control their environment
- Minimize interruptions
- Work during their peak hours
How We Make It Work
Remote-first doesn’t mean isolated. Here’s how we stay connected:
Asynchronous Communication
We default to async communication, which means:
- Clear, written documentation
- Recorded meetings for those who can’t attend
- Flexible response expectations
- Thoughtful, well-crafted messages
Intentional Synchronous Time
When we do meet in real-time, it’s purposeful:
- Weekly team syncs
- Brainstorming sessions
- One-on-ones
- Virtual social events
Strong Documentation Culture
Everything important is documented:
- Technical decisions and their rationale
- Project statuses and roadmaps
- Company policies and procedures
- Onboarding materials
Tools We Use
Our remote stack includes:
- Communication: Slack, Zoom
- Project Management: Linear
- Documentation: Notion
- Code Collaboration: GitHub
- Design: Figma
The Future is Flexible
We believe the future of work is flexible, autonomous, and trust-based. By building Cocuy Labs as a remote-first company, we’re not just following a trend - we’re living our values.
Work should fit into life, not the other way around.